Phelan Continues to Shine in the US
By Matt Stevens
South Australian Jamie Phelan has again proved she is a force to be reckoned with in the Collegiate Bowling scene after a stellar performance at the Garden State Classic last weekend.
The Garden State Classic, an event held by Monmouth University, was the second event on the Hawks’ 2021 schedule and saw them play host to seven teams over the weekend.
A total of 53 individual bowlers competed over the two days, with one standing out from the rest – Jamie Phelan.
After winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Rookie of the week honour the first week, Phelan would continue her red-hot form at the Garden State Classic.
Phelan finished on top of the individual standings averaging 207.4 across five individual games, including three 200+ performances, topped off with a tournament-high game of 258. The impressive performance would see Phelan capture a collection of accolades.
The Garden State Classic performance would see the young 20-year-old capture her first individual title in Collegiate Bowling whilst also named to the All-Tournament team. The great news did not stop throughout the week after receiving the MEAC Rookie of the Week honour for a second consecutive week.
Behind the success is an appreciation for her adopted Monmouth University family while stationed 17,097 km from her Happy Valley, South Australian home.
“I owe it to my team and my coach, Karen Grygiel” explained Jamie. “They give me so much support and have given me a home away from home, allowing me to be comfortable and bowl to the best of my abilities. I put in the hard work, but without them, I wouldn’t have the confidence I have now”.
Still, Jamie remains in touch with home in Australia as much as she can. The recent success has prompted a flood of messages.
“I’ve had so much support from back home. I am so grateful for all the kind words and support everyone has been posting. It makes it all worthwhile. My family is really proud of me, and that’s the main thing!” explained Jamie.
Phelan will be looking to continue her form this weekend, with the team set to compete in their first conference action when it travels to Greensboro, NC for the three-day MEAC Meet. The competition will be held at Triad Lanes Greensboro and begin on Saturday (Australian time).
Phelan now has six 200+ games on the year and a team-leading 201.6 scoring average.
For all the latest news and results, head to Monmouth Hawks Women’s Bowling website by clicking here
Garden State Classic Final Results
Credit to Monmouth University for the image
